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Multigrain Bread Extraordinaire

I’ve been baking with yeast a lot lately, but mostly decadent treats like croissants and brioche and sticky buns. I decided to make something healthier this week. I dug out my copy of Peter Reinhart’s The Bread Baker’s Apprentice–which sadly, I haven’t used in a long time–and found the recipe for Multigrain Bread Extraordinaire. It sounded delicious and fit my needs perfectly. The formula calls for the use of polenta, quinoa, amaranth, or millet. It also calls for oatmeal and cooked brown rice. I used the cooked brown rice, but instead of the grains and oatmeal I used my 9-grain mix.

According to Peter Reinhart, this bread makes the best toast in the world and I will have to agree with him. If you like Milton’s Mulitgrain Bread, you will love this bread.

Multigrain Bread Extraordinaire

Adapted from The Bread Baker’s Apprentice

Note: The original formula is for one 2-lb loaf. Instead of a loaf, I made 2 ounce rolls.

Soaker:

6 tablespoons (1.75 ounces) 9-grain cereal mix

2 tablespoons (.25 ounces) wheat bran

1/4 cup (2 ounces) water room temperature

Combine the above ingredients in a small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature overnight to initiate enzyme action.

Dough

3 cups (13.5 ounces) unbleached bread flour

3 tablespoons (1.5 ounces) brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon instant yeast

3 tablespoons (1 ounce) cooked brown rice

1 1/2 tablespoons (1 ounce) honey

1/2 cup (4 ounces) milk

3/4 cup (6 ounces) water at room temperature

About 1 tablespoon poppy seeds for topping

Stir together the flour, sugar, salt and yeast in bowl of stand mixer. Add the soaker, rice, honey, milk and water. Using the paddle attachment mix on low speed until ingredients form a ball, about a minute or two. Continue adding a few drops of water if there are any flour that remains separate.

Switch to dough hook and knead on medium-low speed for 8 to 10 minutes. Adding flour if needed to make a dough that is soft and pliable, tacky but not sticky. Knead until internal temperature reaches 77 F to 81 F on an instant read thermometer and can pass the window pane test. Lightly oil a bowl and transfer dough to the bowl, rolling it around to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for about 90 minutes or until double in size.

Remove dough from bowl and form into 2 ounce balls. Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Spray the tops with water and sprinkle poppy seeds. Spray tops with oil, cover and let rest for 90 minutes or until doubled.

Preheat oven to 350F. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, rotating 180 degrees half-way through until the bread temperature registers at least 190F in the center on instant read thermometer, golden brown and makes a hollow sound when tapped at the bottom.

Remove immediately from pan when done and cool on rack for at least an hour before eating.

Makes sixteen 2-ounce rolls.

This is my first submission to Yeastspotting, a weekly round-up of yeasted goods and bread.

I love that book — Peter Rheinhart is a god, just my opinion. I was all set to make the multigrain bread, I got my soaker together, let it sit over night, and then I figured out I do not have brown rice in the house, let alone cooked and cooled. I dumped the soaker (painful) and made a note to buy brown rice soon. I’m so glad that you made this so I can have something to inspire me!

I just borrowed that book from the library after hearing so many good things about his recipes! I’d like this bread…there’s a bread made from brown rice in one of my cookbooks (Fannie Farmer maybe?) that I’ve bookmarked…you know, the old-fashioned little-piece-of-paper kind! And I’ve eaten polenta and quinoa, not the other two, and none of them in bread! I’m always fascinated by all the flours in Whole Foods.

I buy Milton’s bread all the time from Costco. It never occurred to me that I could make it myself. And I probably still won’t be able to – unless I can find a nine grain cereal without nuts. Back to Whole Foods!